LEXINGTON — A Sweet Sixteen hoops legend was born in the final three minutes of regulation in the Harlan County Black Bears’ quarterfinal game Friday against Campbell County.
Harlan County senior guard Trent Noah showed basketball fans around the state what those in the mountains knew a long time ago when he scored all 13 points as HCHS wiped out a 64-56 deficit with a 13-5 run that forced overtime. The Bears were unstoppable in the extra period, scoring the first 13 points on the way to an 85-71 win. Noah finished with 48 points for the fourth highest total in tourney history, trailing Wayland’s Kelly Coleman, who scored 68 and 50 in two 1956 games, and Clay County’s Richie Farmer, who scored 51 in the 1988 finals.
“I’ve been coming to the state tournament my whole life, and I saw Chris Lofton and Richie Farmer and Allan Houston,” said Campbell County coach Brent Sowder. “I told him in the handshake line after the game that he became a legend tonight. He hit tough, contested shots, and I wasn’t that upset with our defense.”
Campbell County, the 10th Region champions, led by as many as 16 points on three occasions in the third quarter, The Camels hit 10 of 22 3-point attempts In the first three quarters, but only one of 10 in the fourth quarter and overtime.
“They shot the ball so well. I was impressed with their team,” Harlan County coach Kyle Jones said. “We didn’t know a lot about them and had seen only one film.”
Noah hit a 3, then converted a three-point play on consecutive possessions to cut the deficit to two. Campbell’s Garyn Jackson hit two free throws on consecutive possessions sandwiched around a Noah 3. Noah hit one of two at the line but was called for a lane violation when he missed the second shot. Nathan Smith hit one of two at the line with 51.1 seconds left for a three-point lead that Noah wiped out with his seventh and final 3 of the night with 43 seconds to play.
Campbell held for one shot, but Broc Sorgenfrei missed a 3 in the closing seconds. Noah’s 3 from halfcourt off the rebound was off the mark.
“I can’t even describe it,” Jones said. “We were down with about three minutes to go. These guys said, ‘Look, we’re good, just keep chipping away. They may get a little tight once the momentum swings.’”
“I don’t even remember, to be honest,” Noah said about his clutch shot from the KHSAA Sweet 16 logo. “I just turned around, Maddox threw it to me, I put it up and I (saw) it go in. It was a spectacular feeling, for sure.”
Harlan County blew the game open in overtime as sophomore Reggie Cottrell hit his only 3 of the night to start a 13-0 run.
“Maddox (Huff) told me to shoot it and it went in,” said Cottrell.
Huff, who finished with 22 points, hit four free throws and so did Noah, while Brody Napier added two as the lead grew to 82-69 before Xavier Francher scored with 40 seconds left. Huff finished the scoring with a free throw followed by a basket after he missed the second attempt from the line.
Sorgenfrei scored 17 and Jackson added 16 for the 27-7 Camels. Nathan Smith contributed 12 points.
The Camels slowed the pace in the fourth quarter and seem to lose momentum.
“There are moments in the fourth quarter and overtime I will relive the rest of my life,” Sowder said. “I wish we had stayed in attack mode a little longer.”
Harlan County advances to the final four on Saturday and will take on the winner of the Evangel-Trinity game at 1:30. Great Crossing will play Lyon County at 11 a.m. in the first semifinal. The two winners will meet at 7:30 for the state championship.
